Time Heals Most Wounds

Chapter 3

"Wow, you don't look like you're knocking on death's door anymore," Sokka remarked as I stepped out of the dressing room, I roll my eyes as I walk past and out the door. I feel his eyes trained on me the whole way. Do I really look that bad?

I'm dreading seeing Uncle Iroh, I can feel the guilt swirling in my stomach and I feel like I'm going to puke. Sokkas talking the whole way through and I'm trying to listen, I really am but I'm so tense it's all I can think about.

Next thing I know Sokkas opening the door to the Jasmine Dragon which is thankfully closed. "Iroh! You owe me free tea. My plan worked." Sokka spoke through the small tea shop, his deep voice carrying all the way to the black of the shop where Uncle Iroh emerged with a smile on his face and a pot of tea in his hands. "Zuko." He smiled at me setting down the teapot on a nearby table and giving me a hug.

Uncles' hugs are very different from Sokkas. Uncles are sweet and warm, Sokka's make me feel like I'm on fire.

I regret not seeing or responding to Uncle Iroh for so long. It feels like I'm always begging for his forgiveness, at least I'm consistent with something. "How are you nephew?" He asks as we pull away. I don't know how to respond. I mean if I lie he'll probably know but if I tell the truth he'll worry. "I'm alright. Just busy." I settle on with a small fake-as-shit smile. He sees right through it, so does Sokka, but they choose to let me be.

We sit at one of the empty tables and drink tea. I have jasmine, and so does Sokka. Which is weird because he doesn't like jasmine. I learned that the hard way when we all stayed at the Western Air Temple. I made tea as my attempt at making amends, Sokka didn't love it, to say the least. I smile at the memory that feels so distant. We don't know each other like we used to back then, even when all I did was chase them around. My smile falls.

Uncle and Sokka talk about pai sho, tea, and how the southern water tribe has been doing (Sokka says it's been doing well since the northern tribe came to help after the war). They talk like they're best friends, I didn't know they were so close.

"So Zuko, how long are you staying?" Uncle asks as he refills the tea, "Just for today then I need to get back to The Fire Nation." I respond he and Sokka both look disappointed, but they don't get it. There's so much to do. Peace is so fragile.

They move on, chatting about random things. I get up without a word and walk outside. I need air.

The upper ring of Ba Sing Se really is a sight. The streets are filled with vendors and people walk through with smiles on their faces. This is why I work so hard, to preserve this. A little girl comes up to me and hands me a small white flower and smiles as she goes back to an older woman who I assume is her mother. I roll the flower's green stem between my thumbs as I take deep breaths. (a few years ago I wrote Katara saying I thought something was wrong with my lungs. I couldn't breathe and it felt like my chest was constricting on itself. That's when she said that it happens to her too and she told me how she deals with it.)

I don't know how much time passes before Sokka comes and sits next to me on the stairs of The Jasmine Dragon. He doesn't speak at first, he's just a comforting presence by my side as we watch people come and go from the various shops and restaurants. "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to stress you out. I just-" He cuts himself off, "It's alright." I'm telling him just as much as I'm telling myself. It's okay to take a break.

We sit in silence again. A quiet Sokka always feels like a bad omen. Finally, I stand up and hold a hand out to help him up, and he takes it. "So what's next on your master schedule." I ask, he breaks into a big smile "I thought you'd never ask."

We end up at "The Fancy Lady Day Spa". I raise an eyebrow at him as he leads us inside. It was actually kind of relaxing until the lady giving me a pedicure hears that I'm the Firelord. Whenever people hear about it they tense up like I'm going to banish them over a cherry pit or something. This woman is no exception.

I try to just ignore it as Sokka and I talk. He tells me about the things he's been doing in recent years. He was in The Water Tribe studying under his father to be the next chief, but he missed the adventure. So he decided to start traveling again. (He specifically noted how much harder it is without Appa and how he owes him a toe cleaning the next time he sees him.)

"I thought it was your dream to become Chief?" I asked as cucumbers were laid over my eyes "It is, but dads still young. I have a while to do the things I want." "I'm jealous," I respond with a humorless laugh.

I don't feel relaxed afterward. I don't really remember the last time I felt relaxed. Maybe five years ago when we stayed at Ember Island. "Next on the agenda," Sokka smacks his thigh in a drumroll "Lunch!" He dramatically opens his hands out and almost hits a burly-looking man who I doubt would've been pleased.

Sokka brings us to a restaurant in the middle ring. It's a small building on the dead end of a street of shops, obviously, it's a meat restaurant. It isn't very busy, which is nice when you're a Firelord who doesn't want to draw attention. We sit at a table for two in the very back corner, away from any other customers, when a woman, younger than Sokka and I, comes to take our orders.

"Let me order," Sokka says, when I give him an odd look he adds "Trust me. I know my meats." He looks very proud of his meat proficiency when I finally give in and let him order. After a few minutes, the young woman comes back with so many plates of meat in different shapes and sizes the table is covered. I guess I should've expected this.

Sokka looks overjoyed as he digs in. I eat slower, and only from plates Sokkas already eaten from. I'm always cautious about what I eat if I didn't see it prepared. Being the Firelord makes a man paranoid.

The sun is setting when we walk out of the restaurant, I'm annoyed with Sokka because he refused to let me pay despite me having more money that I could ever know what to deal with. "It's un-gentlemanly if I let you pay." He says as if I'm some girl he's taking on a date.

As we walk to the outer ring I remember why Sokkas my best friend. He's so easy to talk to. With others, I'm constantly worrying about keeping up appearances and always saying the right thing, but with Sokka, the conversation flows easy and gentle. Just talking with him as we walk has me more relaxed than any tea or massage could. I wish I could stay. I wish I could stay with him.

"Sokka." I cut him off mid-sentence. The look he gives me makes this harder "It's late. I need to go." I can't look him in those disappointed eyes. "Oh, um yeah." He's trying to figure out what to say, how to say goodbye for who knows how long. "I'll walk you to Druk." He offers, I whistle for him instead. Druk comes flying down and lands in front of us. "Oh." Sokka sounds even more disappointed. "I'll see you around then." He gives a strained smile that I return.

He steps closer and gives me a hug. It feels like ice pricking through my skin. "Goodbye Sokka." I don't want to admit that I won't say that I'll see him later. It will give him too many expectations.

I get on Druk and finally fly off.

"Goodbye Zuko" He quietly admits like it's been forced out of his throat.